Sony reveal first details of next-gen console

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​Mark Cerny, lead systems architect on the PS4 and it's next-generation successor, has shared the very first details about Sony's latest project.

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by Chris Brand

@pass_controller

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In an interview with Peter Rubin for Wired, Cerny boasted about the hardware being stuffed into the new box. The CPU is based on AMD's Ryzen line and the GPU a variant of AMD's Radeon Navi with support for ray tracing, a technique that allows for greater accuracy in rendering reflective surfaces, among other things.

The chip will also house a custom unit for 3D audio which Cerny asserts will aid in immersion, as sounds will be coming at you from all angles. No external hardware is required for this effect although he notes that headphones are still going to provide the best results.

The new machine contains an internal solid-state drive. This can massively reduce not only loading times, but the time it takes to render a world. We're told that Cerny demonstrated this with PS4 exclusive, Spider-Man. The new console, which we've masterfully avoided calling the PS5 so far, cuts the fast travel time down from 15 seconds to 0.8 seconds, and the improved rendering speed means that Spidey can travel at breakneck pace without any loss of graphical fidelity.

Other features of note include support for 8K graphics and backwards compatibility. When asked about the possibility of a next-gen PS VR, Cerny confirmed that VR is "very important" to the team and the current PS VR headset will be compatible with the new console.

Rubin later shared via Twitter a part that didn't make it into the published interview, in which Cerny states that the launch price should be "appealing to gamers in light of its advanced feature set."

​Share your thoughts on Sony's next console below or over in the forums.

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